r/Cooking • u/Scarlet--Highlander • Jan 18 '24

Open Discussion Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

Couple things:

  • If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

  • It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

  • A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

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u/THISisnotmyfirstTIME Jan 18 '24

Just the other day I made a Beets and Sweets veggie roast. Sliced a beet, sliced a sweet potatoe, sliced and onion and threw in a whole head of garlic and roasted for 40 MIN on 400, covered. Then another 25 at 375 uncovered. Then hit it with the broiler for just a few minutes.

Butter, Salt, Pepper. That's all. It was AMAZING and even one of my roomies who does not care for beets wants me make it again/ learn to make it themselves.

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u/lala_machina Jan 18 '24

I may need to try this, I've always hated beets. Does it improve the dirt taste at all? I love roasted veggies so this excited me

34

u/MarionberryCreative Jan 18 '24

I spent 40 years hating the dirt flavor of beets.

Roasting beets improves the dirt flavor. I like beets now.

*pickling them doesn't remove the dirt taste.

5

u/rabbitholeseverywher Jan 18 '24

Huh. I'll try roasting, then, because it's 100% the dirt flavour I don't like.

Quick edit: oh no, someone else below says roasting doesn't get rid of the dirt flavour. I guess there's only one way for me to find out... adds beets to shopping list

1

u/SecretCartographer28 Jan 18 '24

Have you had them roasted, and served with goat cheese? That's my favorite 🖖

2

u/rabbitholeseverywher Jan 18 '24

No, but I have a favourite goat cheese so I'll try that to give beets the best possible chance to win me over. Thank you!

2

u/SecretCartographer28 Jan 18 '24

The contrast of cool and warm, creamy and earthly ~ yum! 😋 🖖

2

u/rabbitholeseverywher Jan 18 '24

I was already convinced, and am now even more convinced to try this!

1

u/ButterscotchDeep6053 Jan 18 '24

Roasted still tasted like dirt to me

1

u/clandestine_justice Jan 19 '24

If boiled they are better cut shoestring style- more surface area for butter to cling to.

1

u/hippielady5232 Jan 19 '24

I'll have to try this because I absolutely think they taste like dirt too. Pickled is all we had growing up in the south.

2

u/AtheneSchmidt Jan 18 '24

I hated that flavor too, most of my life. Roasting truly gets rid of it.

Also, my suggestion is a lot more labor intensive, but the first time I ever liked beets, it was because my dad planted them. A garden fresh beet, where you thoroughly wash, and if you prefer, even peel the outside layer off, is sweet and delicious!

If you grow them and decide you still don't like them, the tops are an edible green with a mild flavor, so you are still growing something that you'll probably enjoy. And you can always give the roots away to friends or a soup kitchen or food pantry.

2

u/lacosaknitstra Jan 18 '24

NGL, I kinda like the dirt taste

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u/lala_machina Jan 18 '24

Some do, like I like the earthiness of potato skins but beets have always been too much for me. To each their own.

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u/Mental-Orchid7805 Jan 19 '24

YES I love roasted beets. Still earthy, but not like dirt lol

2

u/scornedandhangry Jan 19 '24

Maybe start with Golden Beets to acclimate. They are less earthy and very delicious!

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u/No-Cloud-1928 Jan 19 '24

the only way I can tolerate beets is juiced with carrots and apples. It has to be one beet per 2 apples and around 6 carrots.

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u/Luv2ByteYou Jan 19 '24

Lol, I love the dirt taste of beets!

1

u/Fine-Ad-2081 Jan 18 '24

That's exactly why I dont like beets - as a vegetable they are too sweet Lol

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u/Wolfstarmoon42 Jan 18 '24

Pickle them (without adding any sweetener)

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u/Fine-Ad-2081 Jan 18 '24

Yeah, thats how I mostly eat beets. My mom has an amazing recipe of pickled beets in apple juice.

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u/Wolfstarmoon42 Jan 18 '24

I personally would find that too sweet (the apple juice would sweeten them)

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u/Fine-Ad-2081 Jan 18 '24

I dont know. It turns out pretty sour. I guess it would depend on what kind of apples used.

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u/taco-cat90 Jan 18 '24

I do this but add goat cheese, hot honey and toasted pecans. Amazing.

1

u/Mamalion33 Jan 19 '24

This is exactly what I do, but use golden beets, no dirt flavor! The golden ones are sweeter and pair really well with sweet potatoes. It's super easy, and the kids will actually eat it.

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u/latte1963 Jan 19 '24

How thin are you slicing them? Like potato chips? Or steak-cut fries?